To the extent that we, in higher education, have forgotten our primary mission–challenging our students to inquire as to what it means to be a good citizen of this world–we risk collapsing into a fee-for-service industry in which we simply convey information and train narrowly for the workforce.

In a final exam last May, nearly half of the 279 students in a Harvard government class were suspected of cheating. This is not just a “Harvard” problem; rather, this is emblematic of a crisis throughout post-secondary education. Many have lost sight of our fundamental mission to create environments for students to discover what is most meaningful to them and to provide the information and tools for them to live out their vision.

In “Obesity: Chasing an Elusive Epidemic,” Daniel Callahan calls for an “edgier” strategy to reduce obesity levels in the United States. I felt compelled to respond to Callahan’s article because the policies he is advocating are not in line with what I believe is his vision for a healthier and happier population.

In order to guide any action, we first need a clear vision: a place to start from that answers questions such as, “What are we doing this for?” and “What is really guiding us?” Because any action that runs counter to this deeply-held vision will cause suffering to ourselves and others, even if it appears to lead to our desired outcome.